Wrench



(No Model.)

H. T, BRIGGS. WRENCH.

No. 448,114. Patented Mar. 10, 1891-.

z IIIIIII 4 ,4414. 4 F 4 M5 M 7/ UNITED STATES HARRISON T. BRIGGS, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

ATENT Orricn.

W R E N C H SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,114, dated March 10, 1891.

Application filed December 20, 1890. Serial No. 375,353. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, HARRISON T. BRIGGS, of South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vrenches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of my improved wrench. Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof; Fig. 3, a transverse sectional view through the adjustable loop or catch.

This invention is an improvement in nut and pipe wrenches, and its objects are to provide a simple but powerful wrench which can be quickly adjusted to fit any size pipe or nut; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring by letters to the drawings, A designates the main jaw of the device, which is connected to or formed integral with a handle a, and is a straight bar having its front end or head slightly widened and serrated on its front edge, as shown at b. In rear of the head the lower edge of the jawis formed with a series of rearwardlyinclined notches or ratchet-teeth B, as shown.

C designates a U-shaped sliding loop or catch-block fitted and longitudinally movable on jaw A, the teeth 0 being near the rear edge of the catch.

D designates the movable jaw the rear end of which is pivoted on a bolt or pin E, between the legs of catch 0, on the side opposite the ratchet-teethof jaw A, and its front end (Z is bent at right angles so as to oppose the end of jaw A, and the inner face of portion (Z is serrated, as shown.

F designates a return-bend spring interposed between the legs of the catch 0 and between the rear end of j awsA D and secured in position by a pin f passing through the legs of catch 0. This spring acts to force the rear end of jaw D upward, consequently bringing its front end downward opposite the end of jaw A, and also to force the catch 0 upward so as to bringits teeth 0 into engagement with teeth B of jaw A, as indicated in the drawings.

In operating the device to open the jaws to engage a large-size nut the catch 0 and jaw D are forced downward toward jaw A until the teeth of the catch are disengaged from jawA.

Then while so depressed the catch and jaw D are slid forward until the ends of the jaws are sufficientlyseparated,and upon releasing the catch the spring F throws it upward bringing its teethinto engagement with jawA. Any leverage exerted on handle a in turning the wrench is transmitted through catch 0 to jaw D, and owing to the location of teeth 0 of the catch the strain is taken off spring F when the wrench is in use. To adjust the jaws for smaller pipes or nuts it is only necessary to slip jaw D and catch G backward, the teeth of the catch riding over the teeth of jaw A and spring F always tending to throw them into engagement.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent thereon, is

1. In a wrench, the combination, with the stationary jaw A, having a serrated edge, of a U-shaped toothed catch 0, sliding thereon and adapted to engage the serrations thereof, a movable jaw D, pivotally connected to the catch, and a bent spring F, secured between the legs of the catch and interposed between the jaws, all substantially as described.

2. The combination of the stationary jaw attached to the handle and having one edge serrated, a catch-block sliding thereon and having integral teeth at its rear edge adapted to engage the serrations of the jaw, the movable jaw pivotally connected to said catchblock on the side opposite the serrations of the fixed jaw, and the return-bend spring concealed in the catch and between the jaws and adapted to normally hold the catch in engagement with the serrations of the fixed jaw and to depress the movable jaw, substantially as specified.

8. The herein-described adjustable wrench, consisting of a fixed jaw A, having serrations or ratchet teeth on one edge, a U- shaped catch-block O, sliding thereon, having teeth 0 at its rear edge adapted to engage the said ratehehteeth, a movable jaw D, piv- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as oted to said catch-block near its front edge my own I affix my signature in presence of and at the side opposite the teeth, and a two witnesses. bent spring F, attached to the block and in- 5 terposed between the pivoted rear end of the movable jaw and the fixed jaw, substantially HARRISON T. BRIGGS. \Vitnesses:

O. M. ASH, as set forth. XVILLIS A. BUGBEE. 

